Charming Witches
by penandnotebook
Summary: The book Ron gave Harry for his seventeenth birthday entitled '12 Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches' just might be the reason Harry is alive today. Marauder era. JP/LE.


**Hi All, **

**This is my first fanfic. I'm been reading them for a while now, and have decided to finally take the plunge and publish my first one. **

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**Chapter 1: Prologue**

A seventeen-year-old, dark haired boy barked a laugh from a chair in the Gryffindor common room. He had been quietly sitting there all afternoon, as it was pouring outside, there was nothing else for him to be doing but reading. It was a rare sight for people to see, Sirius Black, the most lively and adventurous of people, to be found sitting down and quietly reading.

His friends were all seated around him and had been just as quiet, all working steadily on their mountain of homework they had been given for the weekend.

James Potter, Sirius' best friend, a messy dark haired and mischievous boy, was looking over his Defence Against the Dark Arts essay in which he had to describe the habits of Death Eaters. His girlfriend, Lily Evans sat next to him. She was a petite girl, with long auburn hair and sparkling emerald eyes that James believed glittered in the sunlight.

Remus Lupin sat opposite to James, and was carefully copying out a sentence from 'Transitioning Transfiguration' into his notes for the upcoming Transfiguration quiz that week. Peter Pettigrew sat next to Remus, and was doodling on the side of his parchment in which only a heading was scrawled at the top: 'Transfiguration Test Notes'.

Suddenly, Lily stretched and yawned, tired of trying to translate Ancient Runes and looked up at Sirius. He looked so engrossed in his book, something that fascinated her because she couldn't recall another time she'd seen him reading, apart from the textbooks.

"What book are you reading?" she asked him, deciding that she should see whether this book was worth her reading. However, the minute she asked the book was snapped shut and he moved it close to his chest, covering the title. Sirius glanced towards James, and received a death stare in return, warning Sirius that he would be a dead man walking if Lily found out.

"Oh, nothing," Sirius said, smiling nonchalantly. "It's just a little extra reading for Charms," he said, putting an emphasis on the word 'charms'.

Remus, who had been sipping from a glass of water nearly choked on it.

"You alright Remus?" James asked, in a tone that showed no sympathy at all, while giving him a sideways glance as if to warn him.

Lily had not missed a beat; she knew there was something wrong. "What's going on?"

James tried to reassure her, "nothing sweetie," but the wobble in his voice did anything but reassure.

"Come on, Sirius," she said standing up. "What are you reading? I love Charms, it's my favourite subject."

"I know you've read it before, so really, don't worry about it," Sirius told her, more firmly, and then stood up himself and went to the boys dormitory.

"That was so weird," Lily said, turning back to James.

"I know, but seriously, don't worry about it, babe. Sirius is just really weird. He probably just didn't like you interrupting him."

"But he doesn't even take Charms," Lily commented, confused.

"Like I said, babe: weird."

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**Thirteen Weeks Earlier**

"Happy Birthday, Prongs!" an excited Sirius shouted in the dormitory in order to wake his sleeping friend.

Only a mumble came from the bed in which James resided.

"Prongs, it's your birthday, mate, you've got to get up. I've got your present for you," he said coaxingly.

James sat up slowly in his bed, yawned heavily and looked grumpily at Sirius. "You know what you should have got me? A sleep-in. It would have been a nice break from the traditional early morning wake up call."

"Mate, why waste you're time sleeping on your birthday. Unless, you know, you're doing another type of sleeping – perhaps sleeping with company. I mean, then I would never interrupt you because –"

"- Okay, okay, Padfoot. I do not need a really weird lecture from you right now," James interrupted.

"Right, of course. Here you go," Sirius smirked, handing James a roughly wrapped, rectangular shaped present.

James' face fell as Sirius passed the present. "It's a book, I can feel it."

"I know what it is, Prongs, I wrapped it. You, however, haven't seen the title," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. He watched carefully as James ripped open the wrapping and found a new copy of '12 Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches'.

James looked up from the book to Sirius' beaming face. "Thanks, mate. But don't you think I know how to get a girl. I mean, only the other day you were saying that we've probably dated the majority of the girls in our grade and the grade below us."

Sirius held up his hands, "Prongs, this is not a book to get just any girl. This book will get you Evans."

James snorted. "This book is not going to tell me anything I don't already know. Trust me, Padfoot, I could have written this book myself."

"Just give it a go," Sirius said sincerely. "Come on, let's go grab some breakfast and then we can have a bit of a practice for tomorrow's match."

James placed the book down on his bedside table, sure that he would never open its covers, and followed Sirius out of the dorm.

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**15 Hours Later**

"Bloody hell, Potter! I mean, I know it's your birthday and everything, but if you didn't make my life a living hell, then it would be a lot easier for me not to yell at you on your birthday!" Lily yelled as she left the Gryffindor common room and made her way to the girls' dormitory, not even bothering to look at the boy she was speaking to.

James stood staring at the door in which she had just slammed in his face for a few minutes before Sirius came up behind him.

"Just give the book a go, mate," Sirius repeated from earlier that morning, and sat down in one of the couches in the common room, ready for the evening's activities.

Later that night, James tossed and turned in his bed, his mind was reliving his most painful and embarrassing memories – all of which involved one auburn haired girl named Lily.

Giving up on sleep, he whispered '_Lumos_' into the darkness, and a light appeared. His hands reached for the book, which he had been so sure he would never open in his entire life, and he began to read: 'Chapter One'.

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**Ok well, that's Chapter 1. I hope you've enjoyed reading it, and are intrigued and want to read some more. **

**I would love some/any constructive criticism, I'm really looking to learn from this - so any reviews would be greatly appreciated!**


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